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PL/SQL / SQL in PL/SQL

Cursor declaration

Learn Cursor declaration in PL/SQL through a focused explanation, a dedicated construct-specific example, an engineering boundary, and a mastery check.

10 min read • Beginner

Cursor declaration is an atomic PL/SQL topic inside SQL in PL/SQL. This lesson focuses on how the Cursor declaration construct is written, what it changes, and when it is the right tool.

Trace the example line by line. Identify the exact syntax for Cursor declaration, the input state before it runs, and the resulting value, control flow, database state, hardware behavior, or runtime effect afterward. Neighboring lessons use different constructs rather than renamed copies of this one.

Topic-specific example

plsql-03-05-cursor-declaration.sql
plsql Try It Live 
DECLARE CURSOR c_emp IS SELECT employee_id,last_name FROM employees WHERE department_id=10; BEGIN FOR r IN c_emp LOOP DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(r.last_name); END LOOP; END; /
Edge case / engineering note

For Cursor declaration, test the boundary that belongs to this exact feature rather than a generic failure case. Check invalid or empty input, NULL/unknown state, numeric limits, transaction or exception behavior, synthesis/runtime constraints, ownership/permission rules, or backtracking/control-flow effects where they apply.

Content source & attribution
Original Syntaxis Content · Original Syntaxis Content

Lesson quizzes

Cursor declaration Mastery Check →
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Implicit cursor attributes
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Cursor FOR LOOP